In Episode 19 of Bird Camp Radio, I sit down with Matt Middlebrooks: host of The Check-In Station Podcast and a hunter who represents what most of us really are: everyday guys who just love being outside.
Matt grew up chasing deer and turkey in Tennessee, with a few duck hunts mixed in along the way. Life moved him around before he eventually settled in Illinois, where he continued pursuing the game he grew up with. But just two years ago, everything changed.
A late-season pheasant hunt in brutal conditions, wind chill sitting around -4 degrees, lit the fire. By noon, they had limited out. More importantly, a new passion was born. Since then, Matt has dove headfirst into upland hunting, building friendships, making annual trips to South Dakota, and collecting the kind of stories that only bird camp can produce… including the now-legendary tale of “Lieutenant Hen.”
Matt is a strong advocate for ethical and legal hunting, and he believes the value of a hunt isn’t measured in inches of antler or what ends up on the wall. As he puts it, next year’s trophy will taste just as good this year. That mindset carries through both his own hunting journey and his podcast, where he gives everyday hunters and anglers a place to tell their stories: the good shots, the missed shots, and everything in between.
This episode is about tradition, camaraderie, new beginnings in the uplands, and why the memories made in the field matter more than any mount ever could.
Pull up a chair. Bird camp’s in session.
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